Gates Foundation calls for delay of teacher evaluations

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has spent more than $200 million supporting the Common Core academic standards, is pushing for a delay in using test results associated with the new guidelines to evaluate teachers.

The foundation, one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the world, called for a two-year moratorium Tuesday on using the Common Core standards to make “high-stakes” decisions about educators and students.

“No evaluation system will work unless teachers believe it is fair and reliable, and it’s very hard to be fair in a time of transition,” Vicki Phillips, the director of education for the Gates Foundation, wrote in a letter. “The standards need time to work. Teachers need time to develop lessons, receive more training, get used to the new tests and offer their feedback.”